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New East 12th Street water main nearly all in ground

By Jan SchultzThe Imperial Republican On Tuesday, just a block of the new 12-inch water main was left to be laid along the north side of East 12th Street. The new water main there replaces old two and four-inch mains from Broadway east to Shorthorn Street. City Public Works Supt. Pat Davison said the new water main is going in on East 12th after the crew earlier moved 360 feet of sewer line at the east end of the project. Residents along the project area, who are served by the main on 12th Street will also be getting new water services to their homes. New meter pits will also be going in. Another benefit to homeowners along East 12th will be more fire hydrants. The project added four new hydrants along the street, where there had only been one previously. The crew from Myers Construction of Broken Bow moved to the East 12th St. project after completing the installation of another water main on Broadway from 7th to 11th Streets. Once East 12th is done, the Myers crew will move to Campbell Park’s northeast side, where construction of a new lift station and parking lot will be completed.Water chlorination coming Just before the new East 12th Street water main is put into service, Supt. Davison said the city will start the temporary chlorination of the drinking water supply. He’s thinking that might be mid to late next week. Davison said the chlorination is done to prevent bacteria from entering the water system, which sometimes occurs during such water projects. Once that starts, residents will notice a chlorine smell and taste in the drinking water. Davison said there is no danger to people’s health in drinking chlorinated water. Larger cities chlorinate their drinking water on a regular basis, he noted. Once the new water main is put into service, the city must submit two drinking water samples, 24 hours apart, to the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services. Both water samples must pass the state’s testing for bacteria. If both samples pass the tests, the water main will be tied into the adjoining mains on Park and Wellington Sts., Davison said.